Saint Francis Park Apartments

Home Forward partnered with Catholic Charities and St. Francis of Assisi Parish on an affordable housing community located in a rapidly gentrifying area of inner Southeast Portland. We served as developer and continue as a special limited partner in the new housing.

The community reserves some of its apartments and provides services for women transitioning from homelessness and for women escaping domestic abuse or sexual violence.

Resources

Homes

106 affordable apartments

86 affordable to people earning 60% of the median family income and lower

19 deeply subsidized for people earning 30% of the median family income and lower

The mix includes 77 studios, 28 one-bedroom apartments, and one two-bedroom apartment.

Catholic Charities Housing Transitions Program will provide services to 20 dedicated apartments for women transitioning from homelessness and five apartments dedicated to women escaping domestic or sexual violence and receiving aid from Project UNICA.

Highlights

The location is a former private urban park owned and managed by the adjacent St Francis of Assisi Catholic Parish. The parish concluded that the park would better serve the community by providing affordable rental housing.

In addition to the apartments, the development features a community room and an interior courtyard that will provide recreational and community garden space for residents.

The previously vacated street, SE Oak, will remain open to the public for pedestrians and bikes, including a seating plaza. A grove of existing mature trees will be maintained as a natural area and provide a reflection of the former park's history.

Partners

Project: Catholic Charities is the general partner and has a controlling interest in the apartments, with Home Forward serving as the developer and special limited partner. St. Francis of Assisi Parish will continue to operate its community dining room and hall.

Financial: City of Portland, Home Forward, Catholic Charities, tax credits, a local energy grant, and commercial debt during construction.